


wish we could turn back time, to the good old days (when our momma sang us to sleep)

by dame_de_la_chance



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Canon Compliant, Found Family, Friendship, Gen, Light Angst, Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Time Loop, a friendship across time and death..., all hurt no comfort baby, and for that matter neither does link, baby link!!!! for a little bit, idk what to tag this shit, just know that Saria doesn’t deserve anything, relatively......, that happens to her
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-08-11 19:35:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20158942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dame_de_la_chance/pseuds/dame_de_la_chance
Summary: Saria watches Link grow, from a baby to a toddler to a child. She watches him answer the call to his destiny, and finds herself answering her’s. There never seems to be enough time for them.





	wish we could turn back time, to the good old days (when our momma sang us to sleep)

Saria remembers.

She is old, to Hylian standards, though not physically. She had stopped aging at ten, but the world around her didn’t. The world kept spinning and aging and changing, even within the forest itself. The passage of time was difficult to keep track of, especially when confined to a small forest.

She would guess centuries, but she wasn’t sure. She simply knew that she was old, but never as old as the Great Deku Tree. The tree was practically as old as time.

Despite her years, she was still a bit childish at heart. She explored the forest as much as she dared. Korkiri’s could not leave the forest, or else they would die. She’s still not certain as to why or how, but she knew it to be true- friends had been lost, those who did not heed the Great Tree’s warnings.

And one night, she ventured out a bit farther than usual. She knew that if she was to go just a bit farther, she would reach the end of the forest. She could see smoke pouring in the distance from the village that living near. Its size continued to grow, and threatened to stray into the Lost Forest at times, but the Hylians has always been weary of the place.

She did not blame them; there is a reason it was dubbed the Lost Forest, after all.

Still, the smoke did alarm her. There had been unusual activity in the village the last few years, and especially within these weeks. Soldiers were in constant shipment in and out of the village; some she recognized as part of the Hylian population in the village, and some were foreigners who managed to sneak inside.

The Great Deku Tree told her there was a war brewing within Hyrule, a civil one. The Hylians could not agree how to rule over themselves, and thus began a long line of battles to sort it out. War seemed very silly to her; if enough people are killed, then they will negotiate or come to agreement? It made no sense.

Shrieks filled the air, and she hid herself against a tree. She could heard the sounds of screaming from the village, children crying and men shouting. A fire crackled in the distance. The village was on fire.

Footsteps crunches against the grassy plains of the forest. Twigs snapped, birds scattered, and breathing filled the air. Someone was coming, someone frantic and running.

There was a loud thump a little ways away. Birds chirped angrily and flew past Saria in a fluttering of wings, spooked by the creature that managed to find itself in the Lost Woods.

Hesitant but curious, she crept towards the source of the sound. Groaning caught her sharp ears, vaguely feminine in nature. A baby cooing could be heard, and she had to stop herself from getting excited. She had never seen a baby before.

A young woman had collapsed on the ground. She laid there, holding a small bundle of blankets in her arms, like it was a treasure she must protect. She was panting, and snuggled close to her bundle, shivering.

Saria saw red spots drenching her meager clothing. Her once white dress was stained a rusty red, and she could see her skin sliced open with deep, deep cuts on her torso, the blood flowing thickly and a deep red. She had seen injuries like these before: others have wondered into the Lost Forest with less peaceful deaths than this. She knew the wounds were from swords, and likely by extension, soldiers.

She bent over the woman, and the woman gazed up at her, eyes glassy. Her hair stuck to her forehead, and with a gentle hand, Saria slicked back her sweaty strands to properly see her face. She had eyes of blue that were darkened with shadows, stained with things this woman can not forget, things that will follow her even into the afterlife.

“A Kokiri,” the woman murmured in a hazy tone, clutching the bundle in her arms. “...right?”

“Yes.” She gave her a small smile. “My name is Saria.”

“Saria,” she repeated. “What a lovely name.”

Her eyes began to drop, and Saria watched as she shook her head, desperately clinging to life. There was a soft whimper from the blanket, and the woman quickly began to make soft, reassuring noises as she tenderly brought her lips to a spot of exposed flesh. A baby was wrapped up tight in the blankets, she realised. 

“Please,” the woman pleaded. “The Great Deku tree.... bring my baby to him... please protect him...”

She was crying now, and Saria knows that nothing she could say would soothe the woman. She had seen ladies like her die in a same manner, and from experience learned that there was no reassurance to give them.

The woman pressed her lips once more against the child. “Please... please, take him. I can’t.... he must be safe...”

Saria lifted the bundle from her weak arms. She was reluctant to let the child go, but too weak to fight her. Saria held the child tight, her eyes still focused on the woman. She wasn’t sure if the Great Deku Tree would accept the child; he wasn’t always consistent. Sometimes, if children wandered in, the mighty tree would allow them to stay, and other times, he would refuse them.

“I’ll protect him,” she whispered back. She is still crouched next to her, holding the child in her arm, before taking the hand of the woman. No comfort could do her justice, but some is better than none. The woman sighed in contentment, her last breath whispering a name amongst the rustling of leaves.

“I love you, my darling Link.”

And with that, she fades. Saria closed her blank eyes, and began to stand up. The woman will turn to compost, and will provide for the forest. In turn, she will provide for her child, perhaps by growing into a tree he would come to climb. The cycle of life and death in the forest made sure that she will become fruitful even after her death.

Saria readjusted the bundle in her arms. A child stared up at her, with big, big blue eyes. Blue, like the sky above her. Blue, like the fabled oceans she’d heard stories about. Blue, like the colour of a deep sadness that she knows will follow him where ever he choses to go.

He gurgles and coos. A small, chubby hand reaches for her green hair. “Link...”

She says nothing more, and simply cradles him against her chest. She must take him to the Great Deku Tree where he shall be judged. She can sense something different about him... something strange.

He has a fixed fate before him. She thinks it is not a good one, despite its greatness.

-

The Deku Tree does not greet her when she arrives before him. He waits for her to start.

“His name is Link,” she begins. She started with the most important part. “His mom died near the beginning of the forest. Looked like there was a raid going on in the village, and she managed to sneak away. But she got injured, and she gave me this boy to bring to you, cause she couldn’t care for him anymore.”

The Deku Tree remains silent. She sees something akin to sorrow flitter across his bark features. “I see.”

“Can we keep him?” She’s not sure why, but she feels strangely attached to him. Maybe it’s something about his cuteness, or his fascination with her and her green hair. She’s figured out he likes the colour green. Or maybe it’s his blue eyes, wide and full of innocence. She wants to protect that innocence.

“Yes.” The somber look remains. “I believe this child is one of great importance. Can you feel the strength of the destiny he holds?”

She’s not sure. She feels something. “You really think he’s that important?”

“I know he is. This child has a dark fate awaiting him...” The Tree hums absently in thought. “It’s a Hylian myth, but have you heard of the legend of the Hero of Time?”

“It sounds familiar...”

“A long, long time ago, before even I was around, a boy had been born. He had fought valiantly and gained the attention of Hylia. When tragedy struck, Hylia gave him a powerful sword, called the Master Seord. With that, he fought against evil. However, the evil was not permanently defeated, and so the Goddesses cause the Hero to be reincarnated only when the evil begins to resurface.” The Deku tree’s expression was grim. “We are in a time of turmoil, and I believe he is here to stop it.”

She looks back at the infant in her arms. He had fallen asleep, cuddling her chest, his chubby hands latched on her tunic. He looks far too fragile to wage a war against evil. He looks too small and weak to wield a sword.

“He’s going to save us all?”

“Yes. I know he will. Hyrule is going to fall apart, either from this waging civil war, or from future malevolent forces. And I believe he will stop them.” A sigh. “I must entrust this boy onto you. Can you protect him, until his destiny calls? As a stagnant tree, I can not be around him for his growing up, but you can. Watch him grow and await his fated call to arms.”

She readjusts the tiny form melded to her chest. There is no hesitation when she answers, “I will do my best.”

-

Saria isn’t quite sure how to take care of a small child. She’s only vaguely aware of the concept of a mother, thanks to the travelers that wander through the Lost Forest, but she thinks she does quite well.

In the very least, her efforts didn’t manage to harm Link. He’s turning out just fine.

It is strange to watch him grow, because she has never seen a body grow before. All of her peers had been born with her, and she can not recall them growing, after centuries of time spent together, She doesn’t remember herself growing either; she feels as if she has looked ten all her life. Maybe she has. She’s not especially literate in the anatomy of a Kokiri.

She watches as a chubby baby slowly turns into a toddler. She chases him around as he learns not to walk, but to run. He’s quick and full of giggles and mischief. He is full of trouble and babbling, and is a thorough menace. Still, he is sweet and gentle, despite his mischievous nature.

She watches as the toddler turns into a small child. His cheeks are still rosy and chubby, his hands are still uncertain and tiny, and his legs are still fast. A bit taller, a bit more energetic. He’s still him.

The small child turns into a kid. He nearly matches her physical age now. She’s been trying to keep track of his age, since age is a big deal for Hylians. He doesn’t know he’s of Hylian descent, but it does not hurt to instill a few of his people’s traditions in him, like birthdays and ages. She’s certain he’s nearly nine years old now.

It’s quite strange, now, to see him as her age. He’s not quite as tall, but he’s going to get there if he doesn’t stop aging. She’s not sure if he will or not. They say the Deku Tree is the one who protects the Kokiri from aging, and she’s not certain if his generosity will extend towards him as well. She’s not sure if she will ever find out.

But she doesn’t mind his ever changing presence. She loves him deeply, and wonders if this is how a mother feels towards her child. Care and hope and love. Did his mother feel those things for him, when he came into the world? When she died for him?

Absently, Saria wonders if she would die for him too. It is not a thought pondered for too long. She knows that she would.

Not all of their peers are welcoming towards him. Many have the attitude of isolating him. They do not like Hylians, for they wage too many wars and seem to be violent by nature. Others see him as a sign of change; they recognise who he is, and resent that he represents the terrible future that is sure to come. And the rest simply see him as different, and different is seen as unacceptable. Not all know of his true ancestors. Some do not even realise he is Hylian- they simply see he is different and he is bad because of that.

She can not protect him from everything, no matter how hard she tries. She knows he gets bullied from some of the other kids, for being so different. They bully him for not having a fairy yet, for growing, for not talking, for being him.

She interjects as often as she can, but it’s not enough. His smiles grow dimmer, his laughs aren’t quite as bright. 

He grows without a fairy. She knows he’s become insecure about that. All children his age should have gotten a fairy. It is a fact of life. But again, he is not a Kokiri, and she wonders if he will ever receive one. She buys her time with reassurances she can not hope to know, hoping that they would be enough.

He grows without a voice. This part makes her a bit worried. She’s not sure if it’s her fault that he doesn’t speak. She’s uncertain as to if he can. But she taught him sign, and he communicates fine with that, so she tries not to dwell on it despite the tinges of guilt. 

No matter what, she finds him perfect. Fairyless and voiceless, he is still wonderful.

His soul is kind and gentle. He is sweeter than the honey they collect together. She knows he will make a wonderful hero, gentle and kind and too selfless. He is just what the legends would want him to be: kind, unrelenting, and above all, courageous.

She likes to think she had a hand in that.

Even if he is not the hero, even if the Deku tree is wrong (which, she frankly doubts), it doesn’t matter to her. She is content with living her life with him, watching him learn and adjust to the world around him.

She hopes his destiny does not kill the sincerity in his blue, blue eyes.

-

On his ninth birthday, his destiny calls.

He answers.

Navi becomes his fairy. The Great Deku Tree sends him on a mission. He is to find Princess Zelda, who can surely offer more guidance. The Deku Tree dies, despite Link’s efforts to save him.

It is that first failure, she notices, that darken his eyes. He changes, but not in the obvious ways like when he grew from a baby to a toddler to a young child. They are minute and subtle and not quite physical.

She knows she can’t not help him. It is his destiny, his fate. She only hopes that’s it is a good one.

She rushes to catch up to him, and teaches him a simple song, giving away her ocarina. He had always wanted to learn, after a lifetime of growing up with listening to her lullabies and playful tunes. 

He learns it with ease, despite never playing before. She knows he is a quick learner, and a twinge of pride bursts through her.

“Great! Great! Please don't forget this song! Do you promise? When you want to hear my voice, play Saria's Song. You can talk with me anytime...”

He nods. She hopes she doesn’t sound as desperate as she feels. She’s afraid for him, afraid of what the future will bring. She’s worried that he’ll be lonely.

He walks away, his shoulders squared, his hand on the hilt of his sword. Everyone sees a hero, now, but she just sees Link. She sees a child, answering a destiny that shouldn’t have called.

But he answers anyway.

-

Seven years will pass before she’ll meet him again, but she doesn’t know this. All she knows is that a chunk of time has flown by without him making a reappearance.

Rumours spread about his disappearance, none too kind. Mido spreads the idea that Link is responsible for the death of the Great Deku Tree, and she tries to squash that as quick as she can.

Not many listen to her. They believe that he is guilty. 

Link, who had never done anything wrong, who only wanted to to make friends, who is the gentlest soul she had ever known, now believed to be a murderer? It was almost laughable.

She’ll defend his honour, because she knows he is not here to defend it himself. She’s wishes she knew where he was. 

-

Ganondorf takes over Hyrule. Saria watches as domain after domain collapses under his reign. The Zora are frozen, the Hylians are being ransacked and murdered, the Sheikah are missing, the Gerudo are split between loyalty and defection, and the Gorons are starving. The Kokiri try to send out help and aid, but it does nothing.

It feels as if Ganondorf has won.

She tries to hold out faith for Link. She knows he will be back, and he will right whatever wrongs he has made. He has not abandoned them. No, his soul would never allow himself to leave people defenseless willingly.

He will come back.

-

Ganondorf’s reign of terror encroaches on the Lost Forest. His monsters now roam within their boarders. Her peers are slowly dwindling in numbers.

It is dangerous to travel away from the village, but she must. There is something strange going on within the Forest Temple. The Deku Tree has always revered the place as a necessity in times of need, and how it must be protected. Saria knows it is significant, and decided to investigate the problem at hand.

She does not reach the forest temple.

Instead, a rotting piece of dark magic kills her. One of the monsters plaguing her home, haunting her forest, takes her off guard. She is centuries old, and she no longer has a fear of dying.

But she is afraid to leave behind her friend.

-

A voice calls to her, and she answers. An old man tries to talk to her as she orients herself. She is in a temple, the Triforce insignia underneath her very feet. The Temple of Time? She’d only heard about it through rumours of Ganondorf’s new powers.

Rauru is the old man’s name. “You’ve been chosen to become the Sage of the Forest.”

He explains to her the meaning of the sages and their power. He explains the importance of the temples and their potential. He explains what happened to Link, and for that alone, she is grateful.

For a near sevens years, she had lived in fear for her friend. She has lived with a hole inside her heart, desperately pleading to every god she knew to let him be safe. 

“He has been sealed away in the Temple of Time,” he begins. “The Master Sword chose him to wield it, but deemed him too young. Link will be sealed away until the sword seems him old enough to wield it. Until then, we must stand our ground and wait.”

“Is he alright?”

“Of course. It is as if he is taking a nap.” He gives her a smile. “On my word, he is safe.”

Saria believes him. And she agrees to become a sage, because why not make herself useful? How could she possibly say no?

And there’s a chance of her seeing Link again...

-

Over time, Ganondorf’s dark power becomes too much. She feels her spirit drain, can feel his dark magic begin to corrupt her. The Forest Temple is wasting away now, crawling with dark monsters.

She can feel herself sinking, sinking into the darkness. She tries to hold out for as long as she can...

Alas, she succumbs.

-

When she wakes up next, she’s in the Temple of Time. Link stands before her, and tears nearly spring from her eyes at the sight. He grew up into such a wonderful man in the seven years. He was so tall now, with thinner cheeks and longer hair.

She gazed into her eyes, and she saw the same wide eyed innocence that she saw when she first met him. She smiles softly.

“Thank you... Because of you, I could awaken as a Sage... I am Saria. The Sage of the Forest Temple...” She’s not sure why she reintroduces herself, as if he needs a reminder. She saw recognition and excitement in him when he saw her. Maybe it was the need to reinforce her new title, to explain herself a bit.“I always believed that you would come. Because I know you...”

He looked ready to start signing, before he put his hands back down. He gave her a strange look, as if uncertain about what to say. He almost appeared guilty, like he needed to explain his absence, like he wanted to prove to her that he didn’t leave her willingly. 

“No... You don't have to explain it to me... Because it is destiny that you and I can't live in the same world.” She feels a heaviness in her chest. She’s not alive anymore, and she wonders if he knows this. She’s too afraid to explain herself, too afraid to meet his eyes and whisper the fact. “I will stay here as the Forest Sage and help you... Now, please take this Medallion...”

A green medallion comes forth from the sky, glimmering. He takes it, catching it with gentle hands. She’s desperately trying to hold back tears, because she’s just so proud of him. He’s come so far, and he’ll go so far.

She longs to hold him tight against her. She longs to have more time with him, to catch up on the seven year difference. She longs to play the ocarina and watch him light up as she plays her song. She longs for more time.

He begins to fade away, and her chest tightens. He signs you a simple, “See you later.” Not a goodbye. A promise.

“I will always be your friend.”

-

The end comes. The final battle arrives quicker than she would have liked. A barrier disrupts them from being able to take down Ganondorf, but Link is on the move as quick as he can, taking down each barrier.

He frees her’s and Saria pushes him to be faster. “The Forest Barrier is dispelled! Hurry up, Link!”

He heeds her words and moves on to the next. Anxiety filled her soul, fearing for him and for the next event. She knows he will win, she knows he will become the hero he was always meant to be, the hero she already knew him to be... but at what cost?

-

Link slays the beast. His sword pierced Ganon, the beastly version of Ganondorf who became overwhelmed by the power of the triforce of power. Quickly, the rest of the sages begin to do what they had been trained for: they attempt to seal him away.

Ganon curses Zelda and Link. “I will exterminate your descendants!”

She hopes that he will never be able to come through with that threat. 

They seal the man away, into the other realm. Nothing feels real anymore, not really. Saria can’t believe they won.

Well, she can believe Link won. She knew he would, but it was so quick... a seven year build up to this moment, and she finds her heart is heavier than she would have thought.

The Master Sword clambers to the ground. It’s bloodied just like its master, who sinks to the ground. Saria watches as Zelda rushes to his side, and strangely, Saria is not afraid. She knows that he will be alright, and that brings her a sort of piece.

Rauru touches her shoulder. “It is time for us to leave. We aren’t meant to stay in the world for long, you know, because we are no longer a part of it.”

She lingers a bit, watching as Zelda cradles Link in her arms. He is crying, and she knows why; he is still nine years old at heart, still too young to have been given this burden, too young to have shouldered it. He had just fought a man who wanted him nothing less than dead, had pierced the man with his blade and likely felt as if he had killed.

She knows he has seen things that are now just catching up to him. Maybe now he even realises that she is dead. She doesn’t know what’s going on in his mind.

She placed a hand on his shoulder. He stared blankly up at her, his eyes unseeing. She feels herself slowly disappearing, her soul fading away from this realm. “You won, Link. You can rest now.”

She disappears.

-

Zelda resets the timeline. Link is sent back to the past, where everything is the same but him.

Saria wishes she could follow, but she is no longer bound to the land of the living. As a sage, she is no longer bound to time, either. She is impervious to resets, and must remain at her duty as a sage beyond time.

She can no longer watch her little boy grow, hear his laughter or shrieks of joy. She can no longer see his smiling face, see his lips curl into a huffy pout, his chubby hands grabbing her’s because he’s afraid of getting lost... she awaits in the Temple, away from time, away from him, hidden.

She can not leave. 

She hopes that once he can grow up, proper this time, that he’ll grow into something beautiful. She knows he’ll blossom. She knows he’ll still be a hero, even if the timeline no longer calls for one.

His destiny is fulfilled, he had answered his call. Now, he has all the time in the world.

She is happy for him, truly. The tears spilling from her cheeks are those of joy. She won’t mourn her loss. Her loss of the small child that followed her around like a duckling, that mimicked her every move, his blue, blue eyes.

Sorrow fills her bones. She had promised to protect him from everything. She promised to keep those eyes innocent.

She failed.

The last image she’ll ever remember of him is seared into her brain. His blue eyes, filled with sorrow and anger and fear. 

She does mourn. For him. For her.  
She knows that they will meet again, once his time upon Hyrule is done. Once Hylia releases Her hold on his soul, and allows him to enter the gates of the afterlife. He will rest, once that time comes.

And she will wait. She will wait for him, and she will greet him at the doors.

She can not wait to see what he grows into. She can not wait to see the man change and change as time had melded him into something in constant flux. She can not wait to hear the stories of his long, fulfilling life. She can not wait for the image of his searing blue eyes alight with anguish to be replaced with the eyes of a light, happier Link. A Link at peace.

She waits.

-

He never comes.

**Author's Note:**

> ocarina of time depresses me thanks. 
> 
> there’s this big theory that Saria actually raises link and wasn’t just his friend and I really really like that. she’s like a mom to him. i don’t think the game give their interactions enough emotion to them, and they didn’t feel much like friends, but w/e.
> 
> Saria is a complex character. I luv her....
> 
> baby link is a cutie
> 
> also I hc that the sages has to die I order to become sages bc......... they r called spirits........
> 
> and at the end, link never comes because he is busy being the hero’s shade. and i imagine that even after tp, he’s still not quite at peace, and wonders Hyrule. he had given up so much for that land, and i think he wouldn’t be able leave if hylia herself tried to drag him to the afterlife.


End file.
